In general, there is play between the main body and the watch band for fixing the watch band to the case of the wrist watch. This play creates a separation between the watch and the watch band, which makes it clear that these are two distinct elements visibly attached to each other. For some time solutions have been proposed which allow making the attachment of the watch band to the watch invisible, for example by providing a groove in the main body for concealing this attachment.
In Swiss CH 649 675 it has also been proposed to attach two pins to the main body for hiding the flanges, the pins having eyes, which are traversed by a threaded hole, being introduced into receptacles in the main body and retained by fastening screws. These pins are also used for fastening the bezel to the main body. This solution is particularly suitable for a rectangular watch. Although in such a watch the fastening screws can be provided in the corners of the case, this is not so with a round watch, so that this solution cannot be adapted to that type of watch.
In the case of round watches it has been proposed in connection with watch bands made of articulated metal links to design the end links, which are next to the case, in a form which is exactly complementary to the space delimited by the flanges and the main body, and to provide a passage across each one of these links for the fastening pin of the watch band to the case in such a way that, once fixed in the flanges, the link is for all practical purposes of one piece with the case and appears to be perfectly integrated with the latter. Such a solution is illustrated in particular in Swiss CH 483 214, but is not applicable in this shape except for a watch band with metal links and not for a watch band made of leather, for example.